what would u do?

[andy12]

I got a call from a friend. a tree service took down a large tree that has a hive in it.
the log that they have is about 8 ft long and 18 inch diameter oak the entire hive is intact.
the entrance is a small knothole.
they asked if i wanted the bees and i said Ok.
I figure to plug the entrance in the evening and have the tree guy load the whole log onto my trailer.
I am wondering, since this hive was apparently doing well in this tree if I should just leave them in there for this winter and would it matter if the log were now horizontal instead of verticle? or should I try to get them set up in a box?

[Todd Zeiner]

I did a bee tree this spring. You may want to down size the log a bit, so it is easier to handle. Then I would stand it up right. Maybe put some braces down and stake them to the ground so the log won't blow over.

Find the highest comb and make a chainsaw cut just above that. You will need to make sure there is some hollow part exposed so the bees can "move up"

Then mount a board to the top with a hole cut for the bees to move up thru. Your existing hive body can sit at that point.

If you have a full honey super or something with drawn comb, go ahead and place it on the board with an inner cover and top. Then by next spring, they might be moved out of the tree and in your box.

[Rod Weakley]

I would do exactly as Todd says. Since I did the same thing last fall/winter into this year. They were my only hive that survived the winter. I am so glad I left them in the tree instead of trying to cut them out this late in the year. The only thing I did a little different from Todd and it's just a minor detail. This spring when I was ready for them to definetly move up I cut another 2 inches off of the log to expose some of their comb. THen I removed 1 2 frames from the middle of the deep that I placed on top. I replaced these frames with 2 shallows (mediums might work also, you'd get less wild comb that way). This placed the combs up into the space of the deep and the queen moved up real quick into the drawn comb I had for her. This hive produced a deep of surplus.

[andy12]

I moved the feral hive in a tree to my place yesterday and set it upright in a hole I dug for it. Nobody took a sting.
The interior space from their entrance hole at the bottom to the top of their comb is about 3 feet and there are lots of bees. It seems to be a strong hive that has been there a while
I will leave them there over winter and will secure a board to the top to place supers on.
I am anxious to see how this works out.

[CWBees]

Andy do you have any pictures of the log the hive is in?